Ayoun waterfalls, near Metulla

Nahal Ayoun is a nature reserve on the outskirts of Metulla, a town on the Israeli-Lebanese border, at the northernmost point of the Galilee. The Ayoun stream flows in a deep canyon with four not too high but beautiful waterfalls.

The upper entrance to the canyon is located in Metulla, and you can enjoy hike downstream from there. The trail passes the falls. The first is the Ayoun fall, then the "Mill" fall; the trail continues to the double Cascade fall, and finally leads you to the Tanur fall, where water crashes down from a height of 30 meters.

"Tanur" means oven, and the fall is so called probably because its shape resembles a chimney. There is a panoramic view from a viewpoint near the Tanur fall. From there you can go down to the foot of the fall, get wet from its spray and continue to the southern exit from the reserve (to the highway leading to Metulla).

Note that the Ayoun stream is drained off in the summer, when its waters are diverted for agriculture. So the falls are a great view only in winter and spring. In the spring there is a lot of birds and many colourful flowers along the trail.